Feature • Last updated: July 2026

Amazon S3 Client for Windows

Browse, upload, download and edit Amazon S3 buckets from a real Windows file manager - in the same window as your clouds, FTP servers and NAS.

Amazon S3 is the storage most other tools quietly stand on, but reaching it as a person usually means the AWS console or the CLI. FTPie connects S3 as an ordinary storage account: enter a key, and your buckets show up in a dual-pane file manager next to your Google Drive, your SFTP servers and your NAS.

Browse objects, drag files in and out, edit a config file in place, and move data straight between S3 and another storage without a local round-trip. No console, no command line.

What you'll need

  • AWS region - the region your bucket lives in, e.g. us-east-1
  • Access Key ID and Secret Access Key - for an IAM user
  • A bucket that already exists (FTPie connects to buckets; it doesn't create your first one)
  • Optional: a Bucket name, only if your key is limited to a single bucket

Where to get your access key

  1. Sign in to the AWS Management Console and open IAM.
  2. Under Users, pick a user (or create one) and attach an S3 permission policy - AmazonS3FullAccess for full access, or a policy scoped to one bucket.
  3. Open the user's Security credentials tab, choose Create access key, and select Application running outside AWS.
  4. Copy the Access key ID and Secret access key - the secret is shown only once, so save it now.
  5. In the S3 console, note the region of the bucket you want to connect (create one first if you don't have it).

How to connect in FTPie

  1. Add a new storage and choose Amazon S3 (under Enterprise Storage).
  2. Enter the Region, Access Key ID and Secret Access Key.
  3. If your key only has access to one bucket, put its name in the Bucket field.
  4. Click Test connection, and save. Your buckets appear as top-level folders.

What you can do

  • Browse buckets and objects in a familiar dual-pane view
  • Upload, download and drag-and-drop with a resumable transfer queue
  • Move data between S3 and another storage - cloud, FTP, NAS - with no local copy in between
  • Edit an object in place with the built-in editors
  • Share a file by presigned link without making the bucket public

Good to know about object storage

S3 is object storage, so a couple of things differ from a normal drive - FTPie hides most of it, but it's worth knowing:

  • "Folders" are name prefixes, not real directories. FTPie shows them as folders so it feels normal; under the hood a folder is just a shared prefix on object names.
  • Share links are for files and are time-limited (presigned URLs, up to 7 days). There's no link for a whole folder.
  • The region has to match the bucket. AWS validates it, so a wrong region gives a clear error rather than a silent failure.
  • Previews download the object - object storage has no server-side thumbnails.

Common questions

What do I need to connect an S3 bucket?

The bucket's AWS region, an Access Key ID and a Secret Access Key. The bucket must already exist.

Does FTPie work with a key limited to one bucket?

Yes - a bucket-scoped key can't list all buckets, so enter that bucket's name in the Bucket field and FTPie opens it directly.

Can I share an S3 file by link?

Yes - FTPie generates a presigned URL that works in any browser with no credentials. Links are per-file and expire after up to 7 days; the bucket stays private.

Is Amazon S3 free in FTPie?

S3 is part of FTPie Pro (with a 14-day trial). See the plan comparison.

Related

Start Your 14-Day Free Trial

Download FTPie and start your free 14-day trial. Enjoy seamless FTP + cloud integration and keep using the free version afterward.

Download Free Trial
CASA Verified & VirusTotal Scanned
14-day trial · Free version included
Windows 10 & 11